California texture for Foliage Follow-Up

July 16, 2013


Heck, I don’t know what these plants are except that the green, grassy plant at bottom is probably some type of rush (Juncus). All I know is that the combo made my heart sing when I spotted it while touring gardens at the San Francisco Garden Bloggers Fling last month.


Wowza! The black tips on the rush, the rosy red tips of the loose shrub above, the way the light was playing with them — I loved it.


This beautiful ornamental grass nearby seems color-matched to the Spanish-style home it accents.

And this garden wasn’t even on one of our official tours. I hope you’re enjoying my California series. But meanwhile, what’s going on leaf-wise in your garden — or on your travels?

Please join me in posting about your lovely leaves of July for Foliage Follow-Up, a way to remind ourselves of the importance of foliage in the garden on the day after Bloom Day. Leave your link to your Foliage Follow-Up post in a comment. I really appreciate it if you’ll also include a link to this post in your own post (sharing link love!). If you can’t post so soon after Bloom Day, no worries. Just leave your link when you get to it.

All material © 2006-2013 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Foliage Follow-Up, Grasses, Travel

22 responses to “California texture for Foliage Follow-Up”

  1. Lisa at Greenbow says:
    July 16, 2013 at 5:22 AM

    I like those little black tufts on the grass too. Nice FF.

  2. Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening says:
    July 16, 2013 at 7:20 AM

    Thanks for hosting! Those are some pretty interesting types of foliage combinations…such fun to see other gardens. This is my first time joining in on Foliage Follow-Up and I had some fun with the camera here in my Long Island garden. Come take a look! http://landscapedesignbylee.blogspot.com/2013/07/foliage-follow-up-summer-garden-foliage.html

  3. Kris Peterson says:
    July 16, 2013 at 8:50 AM

    I am enjoying your California posts, Pam! I think the rush in question may be Chondropetalum tectorum (aka Cape Rush).

    Thanks for sharing your visit to NoCal and for hosting foliage follow-up. My contribution to that event can be found at http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2013/07/july-foliage-follow-up.html

  4. Alison says:
    July 16, 2013 at 9:19 AM

    Here’s my Foliage Followup post. http://bonneylassie.blogspot.com/2013/07/foliage-followup-july-2013.html

    Someone identified a similar rush in one of my Fling posts as Chondropetalum tectorum, so that’s two votes!

    Thanks for seconding the ID, Alison. I can’t leave a comment on your post without an account, so I’ll leave it here: Isn’t it funny how the weeds grow fine without supplemental water, even when our garden plants do not? I enjoyed all your foliage pics. —Pam

  5. Loree / danger garden says:
    July 16, 2013 at 10:24 AM

    Both of those photos are beautiful foliage captures Pam! My foliage follow-up also comes from our time in California…
    http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2013/07/leucadendron-ebonymy-fav-plant-this.html

  6. louis says:
    July 16, 2013 at 10:53 AM

    Beautiful grasses! I think I could get used to California gardening 😉

    http://parallel49palms.blogspot.ca/2013/07/july-foliage-follow-up.html

  7. David says:
    July 16, 2013 at 11:19 AM

    Hi Pam,
    I need to rush out and get some rush! LOL
    I have a few natives but not as nice as this one.
    I’m joining FF this month! Viva la foliage.

    http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com
    :0)

  8. rosekraft says:
    July 16, 2013 at 12:00 PM

    It’s been quite some time since I’ve joined in Foliage Follow-Up, but the garden just happens to be in a great phase right now – the two weeks just spent getting it in shape for last weekend’s garden tour was long overdue!

    I’m pretty certain that the plant in your second photo is a restio.

    http://www.rosekraft.blogspot.com/2013/07/foliage-follow-up.html

    Thanks for joining in, Rosekraft! I couldn’t leave a comment on your post without an account, so I’ll leave it here: Your container combo is stunning. I like the way you carried the wine-colored foliage through the assortment. —Pam

  9. ricki says:
    July 16, 2013 at 12:03 PM

    I look forward to focusing on foliage at least once a month, so thanks again for hosting, and here’s my contribution: http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/3195

  10. Cindy at enclos*ure says:
    July 16, 2013 at 12:35 PM

    Hi Pam, here’s my GBFF post for July: http://enclosuretakerefuge.com/2013/07/16/foliage-follow-up-for-july/

    I’m asking for help in identifying a couple of mystery plants in my garden.

  11. Helen says:
    July 16, 2013 at 2:53 PM

    Hi Pam
    Thought I would join in with the foliage follow up post so here is my link http://patientgardener.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/foliage-follow-up-july-2013/

  12. Derek Yarnell says:
    July 16, 2013 at 4:05 PM

    http://astudentgardener.blogspot.ca/2013/07/foliage-mysteries-plant-identification.html

    Here is my entry for FF including some tips on how to identify plants and a request for help in identifying one specific plant.

  13. Linda/patchwork says:
    July 16, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    I’ve been enjoying your California series. Looks like you all had a great time.

    Grasses are more and more becoming some of my favorite plants. Deer don’t eat them…the number one asset for plants around here.

    Here’s my foliage report, for this month. Thanks for hosting.

    http://patchworkgarden.blogspot.com/2013/07/blooms-and-foliage-july-2013.html

    Hi, Linda. I can’t comment on your post without an account, so I’ll leave my comment here: I rely on foliage too, especially at this time of year. Yay for grasses, yuccas, and agave, especially — heat lovers, all. And gosh darn those pesky deer and armadillos, right? —Pam

  14. Donna@Gardens Eye View says:
    July 16, 2013 at 5:24 PM

    I really like the rush and how it is displayed….thanks for hosting the meme Pam…here’s my post:

    http://gardenseyeview.com/2013/07/15/julys-dazzling-blooms/

  15. Shirley says:
    July 16, 2013 at 6:05 PM

    That is a beautiful combination and the plant with the house is wonderful too.

    Lots of foliage posts here I need to check out over the next few days.

    Impulse plant buying is on my mind for Foliage Follow-up this month.

    http://rockoakdeer.blogspot.com/2013/07/foliage-follow-up-july-2013-impulse.html

  16. Anna K says:
    July 16, 2013 at 6:05 PM

    Wow – that black, green and red combo is stunning, both color-wise and texturally. Very, very beautiful! My FF post features something that might not do all that well in the California heat, but who knows – up here in Oregon it certainly is a hardy little bugger… Thanks for hosting and happy Foliage day! http://thecreativeflux.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/alchemilla-alpina-cute-cuddly-and-carefree/

  17. Jason says:
    July 16, 2013 at 10:21 PM

    Hard to compete with the offerings from California, but here is the foliage follow up from my garden.
    http://www.gardeninacity.wordpress.com

  18. Julie - Portland Tree Tour says:
    July 17, 2013 at 1:30 AM

    Lovely texture! Thanks for hosting, Pam.
    –Julie

    http://portlandtreetour.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/july-2013-foliage-follow-up-black-beauty/

  19. Denise says:
    July 17, 2013 at 11:57 AM

    Hi, Pam — that last photo also looks like a restio, the big, shaggy Rhodocoma capensis.

    http://agrowingobsession.com/?p=44221

  20. Greggo says:
    July 18, 2013 at 6:11 PM

    Would of liked to be there! I enjoy rush in my garden also, great foliage and form contrast. Here is my share http://greggosgarden.blogspot.com/2013/07/rankled-by-rumex.html . You done good Pam! he he

  21. Diana Studer says:
    July 28, 2013 at 5:38 PM

    all South Africans this time.
    Rosy tips is probably a Leucadendron – part of the diverse protea family.

  22. Janet, The Queen of Seaford says:
    August 11, 2013 at 5:06 PM

    There was plenty of foliage to pick from on this trip. I like that Juncus too.